Karl Swartz writes
> Can anyone explain the Boeing designation system?
>
> > I refer specifically to the designation 757-236 which ordinarily
> > I would associate with British Airways. However, a number of
> > British airlines have taken 757s with this designation. I'm
> > fairly sure that these were not orders that BA cancelled at
> > the last minute, too.
>
> Unfortunately, this is where my easy answer breaks down. Yes,
> the 36 indicates British Airways, at least normally. As I
> understand it, most or all 757s built for British carriers use
> the 36 customer code even if they aren't destined for British
> Airways because this made the certification process either.
> (They aren't cancelled BA orders.)
Back when British Airways started taking delivery of 757-236s, they
found that the delivery schedule would give them extra capacity and
sold or leased (I forget) several to Air Europe. They were delivered
direct to Air Europe from Boeing (although the first one, if I recall
correctly, had already been painted in BA colors and simply had Air
Europe titles applied).
Air Europe later decided to order more 757s on its own right. The
configuration that they specified for these aircraft was identical to
that of the 757-236s they had received via BA. They decided,
therefore, to ask Boeing to give them the same designation. Other
aircraft that Air Europe had on order continued to use Air Europe's
usual S3 customer code (eg 737-2S3 Adv, 737-3S3).
I'm not aware of any other British airline receiving new 757-236s
from Boeing. Monarch 757s, for instance, were -2T7s, and Britannia's
own 757s were -204s (in addition, more were leased in from various
sources, with various other codes). Caledonian has some 757-236s,
but since they're wholly owned by BA, that's not surprising (in the
same way, their 737s are -236s too). Its possible, though, that
other British airlines leased ex Air Europe 757-236s after that
airline's demise, and/or picked up undelivered 757-236s intended for
Air Europe, thus giving the appearance that 757-236s were common in
British airline fleets.
--
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Stefano Pagiola
Food Research Institute, Stanford University
spagiola@leland.stanford.edu (NeXTMail encouraged)
spagiola@FRI-nxt-Pagiola.stanford.edu (NeXTMail encouraged)